THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia.

NEWS SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

Stories  dominating our summary of the local dailies include ECOWAS additional one million United States Dollars  commitment to Liberia's Ebola fight coupled with the United Bank of Africa Liberia Limited additional three hundred thousand United States Dollars donation to the Government of Liberia for fight against Ebola and the National Legislature's approval of over US$600 million 2014/15 budget among others.

DOMINANT STORIES

ECOWAS Commits US$1M...To Ebola Fight

The Newsnewspaper quotes a Foreign Ministry's release as saying that the President of the ECOWAS Commission H.E. Kadré Désiré Ouedraogo on Tuesday November 18, 2014 paid a one day solidarity visit to Liberia and committed an additional one million United States Dollar to the Government of Liberia for the Ebola fight. Similar amounts were committed to Guinea and Sierra Leone that are most affected by the Ebola disease. H.E. Ouedraogo disclosed that ECOWAS is expected to deploy 131 medical personnel to help in the fight against the Ebola virus that is ravaging the three West African countries. The ECOWAS President was accompanied by Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas Special Representative of the UN-Secretary General for West Africa. During the solidarity visit, the officials held productive discussions with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf at which time they hailed efforts of Liberia in the fight against Ebola, the meeting with President Sirleaf was followed by a press stake-out held in the Foyer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the visiting dignitaries and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Liberia, Hon. Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan. H.E. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf thanked ECOWAS for the support towards the fight against Ebola and briefed the team on the social economic impact. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf briefed the ECOWAS Team on the pending Senatorial Elections in Liberia and has sought the organization’s support and involvement in the process, adding that in order to enhance the credibility and transparency of the senatorial election, the President has requested ECOWAS to send field observers to monitor the elections. The Liberian President also congratulated ECOWAS’ delegation for its pivotal role in the political crisis in Burkina Faso which has helped restore peace and brought about the formulation of a civilian led transitional Government that was sworn in yesterday November 19, 2014, headed by that country’s former Foreign Minister. Liberia’s Foreign Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan who spoke earlier at the media briefing, lifted praises to the visiting dignitaries  and said the delegation had productive discussions with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf primarily on the Ebola crisis and extended ECOWAS’ solidarity to the Government and People of Liberia for the loss sustained at the same time reaffirming its support to the fight against the Ebola in the region. The Liberian Foreign Minister added that since the outbreak ECOWAS has played an active role in  the fight with full commitments of funding  and humanitarian assistance towards the Ebola response through ECOWAS Trust Fund, disclosing that ECOWAS has put together Ebola Response Team with member countries contributing to the its  Trust Funds on Ebola. Speaking during the press stake-out, the ECOWAS Commission Head Kadré Désiré Ouedraogo expressed ECOWAS’ deep solidarity with the Government and People of Liberia especially the bereaved families for the loss sustained as a consequence of the deadly Ebola epidemic. “We are here to show solidarity with the Government and people of Liberia for the courageous fight against Ebola”, he remarked. While expressing  gratitude to President Sirleaf and her Government for the efforts against Ebola  and for the audience and warm reception accorded them during the stay,  the ECOWAS’ Commission’s President spoke on the  outcome of the just ended  ECOWAS’ Summit held  in Accra on the Ebola crisis that is ravaging the sub region. He disclosed that ECOWAS Heads of State and Government have decided to get involved in the fight and have appointed the Togolese President as the Organization’s direct representative on the Ebola crisis in West Africa. He added that ECOWAS has decided to get involved in the battle against Ebola with the aim to bring the epidemic to an end. According to him, ECOWAS additional 1 million donation towards the fight has been channeled led through the ECOWAS Trust Fund on Ebola to augment the contributions made by member states to aid the Ebola response in West Africa. Mr. Ouedraogo said since the outbreak, ECOWAS has been active on the ground and has deployed personnel to help in the fight in the three countries. “Let me also express our sincere condolences to all bereaved families of those who died of Ebola, and the victims of this epidemic and express our wish for their speedy recovery, we are here to show solidarity to the Government and people of Liberia for the fight against Ebola, and would like to thank Madam President for this courageous fight, the ECOWAS president declared”. For his part, Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas lauded President Sirleaf for the leadership quality being provided during the outbreak and hailed the resilience of the people of Liberia in combating the disease calling on the citizens to go extra miles in taking precautionary measures to end the fight against Ebola. He stressed that the UN will collaborate with ECOWAS and affected countries in combating the disease.

Related Captions: ECOWAS Commits Additional 1 Million And 131 Medical Personnel For Ebola Response (Heritage), ECOWAS Names Ebola Coordinator-Donates US$1m To Ebola Affected Countries(Daily Observer)

UBA Donates Additional US$300,000 To Fight Against Ebola Here

In the wake of the gains made in the fight against Ebola, the United Bank of Africa (UBA) Liberia Limited has made additional donation of US$300,000 to the Government of Liberia (GOL) to help in its fight. According to an Executive Mansion release, the Bank’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Manager of the Liberia branch said the amount being the second intervention by UBA was in further demonstration of a strong show of solidarity with the Government of Liberia. She believes progress can never be made in human and economic development if Ebola is not totally eradicated. Madam Chioma Mang said the donation was in fulfillment of the bank’s corporate-social responsibility to Liberia as it has been doing since its establishment in Liberia more than nine years ago. During the presentation of the symbolic check, Madam Chioma Mang reassured President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf that UBA will continue to work with Liberia to ensure an Ebola free country, Heritage writes.

Related Captions: UBA Gives Additional US$300K To Help Eradicate Ebola (Daily Observer), UBA Gives Additional US$300,000 To Fight Ebola(The Inquirer), UBA Donates Additional US$300K To Ebola Fight(In Profile Daily), UBA Liberia LTD Donates Additional S$ 300,000 To The Fight Against Ebola In Liberia (FrontPage Africa)

Liberian Legislature Oks Fy 14/15 Budget At Over $600m

The FrontPage Africa Newspaper reports that the Liberian Legislature has approved the National Budget for the fiscal year 2014/2015. A budget of six hundred-sixty million, two hundred thirty-six thousand United States dollars (US$ 660,236,000) has been approved by the House of Representatives followed by subsequent concurrence by the Senate.  The Draft National Budget for FY 2014/2015 was submitted by the Executive to the Plenary of the House of Representatives and in line with legislative practices the budget was turned over to the joint committee on Ways, Means and Finance of both the House of Representatives and the Liberian Senate. The Joint committee was mandated by plenary to scrutinize the draft budget and make recommendations to the body for action. According to the committee chair, Representative Emmanuel Nuquay, in adherence to the mandate of the plenary, the joint committee engaged the Ministry of Finance, Liberia Revenue Authority, and other major stakeholders to jointly scrutinize the draft budget. In the committee’s report to plenary it stated that following scrutiny of the budget, the committee identified other sources of funding that led to increment in the draft figure submitted to the Legislature. The initial draft budget had US$473,252,000 but the legislative committee identified additional revenue from budget hearing, including, US$7,047,000, Grant (core) US$24,000,000, Grant (contingent) US$ 50, 3000,000 and Borrowing (core) US$70,637,000. The committee also reported that it derived at borrowing (contingent) of US$ 10,000,000 and signature bonus on (Blocks 6, 7, 16, and 17) of US$ 25,000,000.  The Committee report stated: “Honorable Speaker and Members, having thoroughly scrutinized the Draft National Budget for FY 14/15 and derived a National Budget Envelope of US$ 660,236,000, the joint committee request the passage of the FY 14/15 National Budget into law".

Related Captions: US$600 Budget leaves Capitol(Daily Observer), Legislature Passes Budget(The Inquirer), Over US$600M Fiscal Budget Passed(The News), National Budget Passed(In Profile Daily)

Africare Donates US$2M Medical Supplies To Nimba

According to the News newspaper, Africare a US-based relief group, has embarked on the distribution of medical supplies valued at US$2 million to health facilities across Nimba County. Africare Primary Health Care Coordinator in Nimba, Joseph Kowah, said the distribution which started Tuesday, November 18, is intended to aid health facilities in Nimba. The Material include examination gloves, surgical gowns, surgical materials. personal protective equipment, oral re-hydration salt and body pressure material, among other.

Related Captions: Africare Donates US$2M Medical Supplies To Nimba(In Profile Daily), Nimba Health Centers Get Africare's US$2M Donation(The Reporter ), Africare Donates US$2m Medical Supplies To Nimba(Heritage)

Liberia’s Domestic Economy Suffers Ebola Impact…Says Gov’t, Releases Key Financial Reports

The Ebola pandemic that whacked the Mano River sub-region, including Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia in March of this year, has ignited unfathomable economic consequences on its wounded countries particularly the latter which is just recovering from collapse. The devastating effect Ebola is having on West Africa’s fragile economies is already coming into focus, as Liberia’s Finance and Development Planning Minister Amara Konneh has raised the red flag that efforts to consolidate the dividends of peace and build a strong and diverse economy still wander on the brink of instability as a result of the prolonged presence of the Ebola Virus Disease in the country. According to the Finance and Development Planning boss, before the Ebola outbreak, the economy was projected to grow at 5.9% in 2014, down from 8.7 percent in the year prior, Heritage reports.

Related Captions: Economy In Mess (New Democrat), Liberian Economy Shrinks To 0.4% - More Trouble As GOL Struggles To Finance Deficit (Daily Observer), US$174M Needed For Liberia's Economic Recovery( The Reporter), Economy Drops-Konneh(In Profile Daily)

OTHER STORIES

World Bank Provides US$30m Budget Support

The World Bank has extended its support of Liberia’s budget to US$30 million in keeping with the Second Poverty Reduction Support Operations of the country. Although the original amount of this budget was US$10 million, the Bank realizes says it realizes the enormous economic challenges the Ebola outbreak has created on almost all government development programs and activities. The Bank says it has therefore decided to increase the amount of budget support to US$30 million, including US$10 million grant funding from a special Crisis Response Window. Making the disclosure Thursday, the World Bank country manager Inguna Dobraja said the Bank is mobilizing nearly US$1 billion in financing for the three countries hardest hit by the Ebola crisis: US$18 million for the emergency response and to help speed up the development of foreign health workers to affected countries, New Democrat reports.

Ellen Congratulates Lebanon On 71^st Independence Celebration

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has congratulated the Government and People of the Republic of Lebanon on the occasion commemorating the 71st Independence Anniversary Celebration of that Country. In her message to H.E. Tammam Salam, Prime Minister of the Republic of Lebanon, President Johnson Sirleaf conveyed her heartfelt congratulations and best wishes on behalf of the Government and People of Lebanon on the observance of that country’s historic event. According to a Foreign Ministry Release, President Johnson Sirleaf extended her best wishes for the personal well being of President Suleiman and the prosperity and unity of the People of Lebanon and expressed the hope that Liberia and Lebanon will continue to work together in building a better world of peace, security and cooperation among all nations, Heritage reports.

Gov’t To Unveil Recovery Plan Jan. 2015…Ebola Fund Nets US$12m; US$9m Expended

The Inquirer says Government of Liberia (GOL) through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) will unveil an Economic Stabilization and Recovery Plan (ESRP) in January 2015 projected to cost the government roughly US$174.0 million. Liberia’s Finance and Development Planning Minister, Amara M. Konneh, making the disclosure said his ministry has been working with other colleagues in Government and Liberia’s development partners to address some of the vexing issues undermining Liberia’s trade position and overall economic strength. Minister Konneh said the government is fully committed to investing its meager resource envelop, to demonstrate ownership of this Plan, while engaging the country’s development partners to support it directly through the national budget “In fact, we have already mobilized some resources to this effect, while a significant gap remains”, Minister Konneh disclosed.

China Prepares For Road Work

Chinese contractors here have told President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of their readiness to start “active road work” in December 2014, in the wake of positive signs of improvement coming from Ebola Treatment Units across Liberia. During President Sirleaf’s tour of ETUs in Monrovia Tuesday, November 18, 2014, the Managing Director for CICO’s West Africa Headquarters, Mr. Liangquan Fu, said “We plan at the end of this month; we’ll start active work [in] December.” Meanwhile, the French charity Medecins Sans Frontieres project coordinator at ELWA, Mr. Azaad Apoco, said “the trend is getting down,” and that up to Tuesday, November 18, the MSF had up to 25 patients. Mr.Apoco said the unit has up to 40 beds now running and they could be increased up to almost 400 “in case of real emergency.” President Sirleaf said news from the ETUs were good for Liberia, but repeatedly warned that “we can’t take off our guides” and Liberia has to keep taking the preventive measures until it is Ebola freed, New Dawn reports.

Liberians Urged To Get Involved In Agriculture

The Minister of Finance, Planning and Development, Amara M. Konneh, has urged Liberians to get involved in agricultural activities so as to lessen the level of poverty in the country. According to Min. Konneh,US$35 millions has been allotted in the national budget in order to support agricultural activities in the 15 political sub-divisions of the country. Min. Konneh made these assertions Thursday, November 20, 2014 at the regular Ebola Hour held at the Ministry of Information, Cultural and Tourism (MICAT) in Monrovia, Heritage reports.

 Justice Ministry Worries Over Increased Rape Cases - Amidst Ebola

The Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) Crime Unit of the Justice Ministry has expressed worry over the continue rape situation by rapists across the country in spite of the Ebola epidemic. The Acting SGBV Crime Chief Prosecutor Cllr. Deddeh Wilson said “I cannot say the cases of rape have increased uncontrollably, but our concern is considering the Ebola situation, some unscrupulous persons are still raping some ladies and innocent girls".
According to her, “to encourage rapid prosecution, coordination must be built to enhance trust between SGBV Prosecutors and Police Investigators for mutual understanding and effective information sharing”. Cllr. Wilson disclosed Thursday, November 13, 2014at a further up Coordination meeting of gender-base violence and police investigative specialists held in Monrovia. The SGBV Senior Prosecutor, Attorney Bonor Varmah cautioned: “investigators and prosecutors never you make the mistake to desire only placing the rape accused person in jail alone but it is your professional duty to dispense justice”. The government is partnering with international groups, including the U.S. Department in providing assistance to improve and provide Justice to all. Currently, the two available are inadequate to handle the number of rapes and other gender-based violence cases at the court in Monrovia, New Dawn reports.

Cuban Doctor Contracts Ebola In Sierra Leone

The New Dawn reports that a Cuban doctor infected with Ebola in Sierra Leone became the latest of nearly 600 health workers to have contracted the virus, amid fresh warnings that the fight against the disease is far from over. Cuba has played a large role in intensifying global efforts to fight the outbreak in the three worst-hit countries of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, sending around 250 nurses and doctors to the region with another 450 to come. Felix Baez Sarria, one of about 165 Cuban medics in Sierra Leone, is being treated in a Red Cross centre near Freetown, his boss told AFP on Wednesday. “He’s not critical, he’s doing well, in a good condition, Jorge Delgado Butillo said.